ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½

Wang Fei: Hello and welcome to The English We Speak, I'm Wang Fei.

William: And I'm William. Welcome to the programme. You look very smart today, Wang Fei.

Wang Fei: (false modesty) Mm, really? Do you think so?

William: Oh, yeah - very smart. Look at your bow tie! And your evening jacket!

Wang Fei: Well, this is just a little something I get out every now and then. I'm sure George and Jack and Tom will be will be wearing something similar.

William: Who? George, Jack and...?

Wang Fei: (off-hand) Oh yeah, you know. George Clooney, Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise.

William: What? You're going to see George Clooney and Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise tonight?!

Wang Fei: Yep. Cannes Film Festival opens tomorrow so I'm going to a little party tonight.

William: Wow! That's incredible! How did you get a ticket?

Wang Fei: Erm... well, I don't have a ticket as such. I'm just going to show up. I'm sure if I'm dressed like this they'll let me in.

William: Right... so basically you're going to gatecrash a celebrity party.

Wang Fei: Gatecrash? What¡¯s that?

William: To gatecrash a party. It means to go to a party even though you haven't been invited. Let's hear some more examples.

Examples

Woman A: What was the party like last night?

Woman B: Oh it was awful! All these kids crashed it and drank all the beer.

Man A: How are the preparations going for the party tonight?

Man B: Yeah, not bad.

Man A: Aren't you worried it might get gatecrashed?

Man B: Yeah, we¡¯re going to pay a guy to be on the door to stop people coming in.

Wang Fei: In the first example, the speaker described a party that was ruined because kids crashed the party. So, to crash a party means to gatecrash a party?

William: Yeah. And in that second example, the speaker said that he was going to pay a guy to be on the door.

Wang Fei: 'To be on the door' ¨C so this man will check that everyone who comes in has an invitation. Hmm¡­ do you think that there might be someone on the door at this party tonight?

William: The one that you¡¯re going to?

Wang Fei: Yes.

William: The celebrity one in Cannes with George and Jack and Tom?

Wang Fei: Yeah.

William: Yeah, I think, Wang Fei, there might be.

Wang Fei: (crestfallen) Ah!

William: Well, I tell you what, Wang Fei, my friend's having a birthday party in the pub down the road. Why don't you come to that instead? You'll be a little bit overdressed but I'm sure it will be fun.

Wang Fei: I was just looking forward to a bit of glamour for a change, with George, Jack and¡­

William: ¡­ and Tom, yeah I know. One day, Wang Fei, if you keep making great programmes with ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Learning English then I¡¯m sure that one day you¡¯ll be mixing it with George and Jack and Tom.

Wang Fei: But for now, I¡¯ll have to be happy with the pub. Again. Bye.

William: Bye!